The Land of Make Believe

by Michael Arnold

  “I killed you, Magician!” King Fenris yelled.

  “No, you didn’t, Fenris. Gilma took me back to the mountains where my friends with whom I ride today brought me back to health, so today we take back the land,” Olen yelled along with the Canine-people.

  “Olen’s back, ya!” Camden shouted.

  “Was that good, Hidar?” Olen asked.

  “Thou hadeth done well thy young human but I havest more!” Hidar said. “Thee sword of my people will cut thy Wolf-people down. Death will be unto them all of thee Wolf-people, even unto the youngest of thee!”

  “Boy, you know how to put some fire behind that. I like that sound in your voice, Hidar,” Olen said.

  “Mountaineers, go, and give them death!”

  When King Fenris saw the many Mountaineers he tried to fire his rod at them, but Scionna was able to knock it out of his hand. Without any choice left, King Fenris took off running out of the city when those six thousand men and woman Mountaineers entered the city.

  Olen picked up Whisk-pey off the ground and saddled her beside him. She said, “Olen I thought you were….”

  “I know. You ready to get this creep? I thought you might need this,” Olen said, giving Whisk-pey a sling-shot and stones.

  “Thanks so much, Olen, and Yes, yes I am, Olen!” Following close behind were Camden and Gilma.

  “Ya. Olen, I’m glad you’re alive. How you feel?” Camden asked.

  “I couldn’t feel any better. Glad to be back and to see you again, friend. This is for you.” Olen gave Camden his head shield and his glove. “Thought you may need it!”

  “Yeah! Now, let’s get him, Olen!” Camden yelled.

  Olen moved in close and flew downward. King Fenris must have heard the flapping of the horse’s wings and looked up. Not only did he see the horse but he met its hooves. King Fenris went down. Olen, Whisk-pey and Camden jumped to the ground surrounding Fenris before he could get up.

  “It’s over now, you creep,” Camden said, punching Fenris and cracking the side of his helmet.

  “No, please, leave me alone!”

  “You’re not such a bad man without your weapon, I see,” Olen noted.

  Gilma and Olen’s black horse flew over the ordeal between them just in case King Fenris took advantage of the situation.

  “Please, I surrender. I will go in peace never to return.”

  Now poised and set to fire off a stone, Whisk-pey said: “There wasn’t any peace for my people and there will be no peace for you, Fenris!” She fired the rock; it sent King Fenris sailing backwards toward Dark Forest. The deadly hands, as if they had been waiting for him all along, grabbed him as soon as he was in reach of the forest’s edge.

  The three watched as the screams of King Fenris could be heard throughout the Dark Forest.

  “Is it over now?” Camden asked.

  Olen and Whisk-pey gazed at each other with a smile. “Yes, it is over now, Camden. It is over,” Olen said.

  THE END

  Epilogue

  When the three returned to the city of the Mountaineers alone, having killed every Wolf-man inside and outside the city, Olen and Camden were considered heroes. And just like the Mountaineers, they were upheld with cheers and greetings amongst the remaining Canine-people.

  Amose was so happy not only that his people were free again but that his daughter was alive and well, he could have cried his happiness even if the tears had fallen from one eye only.

  It would have taken many, many years to rebuild Canine-land but with the help of the Mountaineers it took half of one year in their world to build their city back up.

  Whisk-pey held both of Olen hands with tears in her eyes. She didn’t want to let them go. “There is room for you and Camden. Both of you don’t have to leave. This can be your home now!” Whisk-pey said.

  “Me and Cam have to finish school and I know his mom and my parents will want to know where we’ve been, but I promise I will be back soon.”

  “You promise?”

  “Yes, I promise.”

  Olen thought about that kiss, that long kiss as he lay on his bed night in and night out. That day he used those bottled tears to get him and Camden back to earth, which was the same day as the day they left.

  Olen and Camden often talked about the time they shared in the Land of Make Believe and Olen was anticipating when he would see Whisk-pey, Gilma and Ento again.

  “Where is my son, what have you done to him?”

  “Relax, no need for the hostility, Mr. Jones, your son Camden and Olen are heroes. You should be proud. All I ask is that you give me the sketch book that was in your hands and I won’t kill your son.”